Joining the elite field at a race like the Chicago Marathon usually requires 100-mile weeks and sub-6-minute-miles.

But this year, you don’t have to run fast to join the top of the field—or even run at all. The elite experience is available to the highest bidder.

The prize is what the Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA) is calling the Elite Athlete Experience. From the press conference Friday to the post-race hospitality tent, the winner “basically gets to every point with the elites, with the exception of the start line,” said CARA executive director Ed Zylka. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime, behind-the-scenes look at the marathon.”

The bidding, which opened in the middle of March and closes on April 8, started at $1,500. And proceeds from the auction are to benefit a running mentoring program for at-risk teens.

But so far, there have been no bids on the package.

The experience includes a guaranteed entry to the Oct. 9 race—a hot ticket now that Chicago, like New York, has moved to a system in which most runners earn entry through a random drawing. Bidders could also swap the entry for two passes to the VIP hospitality tent during and after the race if they don’t plan to run.

Other perks include access to the elite suite—complete with trainers, massage therapists, and other amenities—on Friday and Saturday. The winner can join elites at a prerace dinner buffet, and take the elite bus at 5:30 a.m. to the start on race morning, with access to the elite tent.

In fact, the winner will only have to part ways with the elites right before the gun goes off, likely starting in the sub-elite corral or wherever he or she feels most comfortable.

Proceeds from the online auction will benefit CARA’s Road Scholars program, which pairs high-school students from underserved Chicago neighborhoods with a running mentor and provides everything they need—shoes, gear, race entries, and training—to complete a half marathon.

The cause is what inspired Chicago Marathon executive director Carey Pinkowski to design the experience, offered for the first time this year. “We have a long relationship with CARA, and we thought this would give a real enthusiast and supporter of the Road Scholars program a neat look at how these athletes fit into our event,” he told Runner’s World in a phone interview. “Plus, it’s an opportunity for our athletes to meet someone from the Chicago community, too.”

The minimum bid of $1,500 would cover the cost of five Road Scholars participants—but because more than 200 teens sign up each year, Zylka said they were hoping to bring in much more.

Cindy KuzmaContributing WriterCindy is a freelance health and fitness writer, author, and podcaster who’s contributed regularly to Runner’s World since 2013.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

This commenting section is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page. You may be able to find more information on their web site.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Runner's World participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.